Darts in the UK is, broadcast-wise, a Sky Sports story. The PDC (Professional Darts Corporation) has been with Sky since the early 1990s, and the relationship covers the headline calendar that drives the modern televised-darts boom: the World Championship at Alexandra Palace, the Premier League Darts roadshow, the World Matchplay at Blackpool, and the Grand Slam of Darts.
Sky Sports — the PDC calendar
The PDC World Championship runs from mid-December through early January at Alexandra Palace (“Ally Pally”) in London. Sky Sports broadcasts every session live on Sky Sports Darts (a temporary channel that activates for the World Championship, otherwise the coverage runs on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action). The final is on the first Wednesday or Thursday of January in prime time on Sky Sports Main Event.
Premier League Darts is the 17-week Thursday-night roadshow that runs from early February through late May. Each Thursday a different UK or European city hosts a night of darts, with eight players competing in a knockout format. Sky Sports broadcasts every Thursday night live, typically 19:00 to 23:00 UK time on Sky Sports Action.
The World Matchplay is the summer headline at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool, in mid-to-late July. Sky Sports broadcasts every session live across 9-10 days.
The Grand Slam of Darts in November at the Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton is also on Sky Sports — a unique tournament because it features both PDC and WDF players, the only modern major to do so.
ITV — the Players Championship Finals and the World Series
ITV4 holds rights to the Players Championship Finals in November and to a selection of World Series of Darts events. The Players Championship Finals (in Minehead) is the largest non-Sky-Sports event in the PDC calendar; ITV4 carries the full four-day weekend live and free-to-air.
Subscription cost reality
Sky Sports is £40-£46 per month on a Sky contract, or £34.99 per month on a NOW Sports Membership. For darts viewers specifically, the NOW pass is the dominant option — many viewers buy NOW only for the World Championship fortnight in December-January and the Premier League Darts Thursdays in spring.
ITV4 is free with a UK TV licence.
Useful editorial sources
- Football UK broadcaster guide — Sky’s other major property
- UFC UK broadcaster guide — TNT Sports schedule
- Golf UK broadcaster guide — Sky Sports Golf
The 2026 PDC World Championship runs from 14 December 2025 through 3 January 2026 at Alexandra Palace. The 2026 Premier League Darts ran February through May with the final at the O2 Arena. The 2026 World Matchplay is the third Saturday of July through the last Sunday of July at Winter Gardens, Blackpool.